Plattsburgh town officials say lakefront and riverfront shorelines have tremendous potential. Now, they want to see what can be done to make these areas more accessible to the public.

Town Supervisor Bernie Bassett says the first step is to commission a study. It would look at waterfront areas around the town, including the Saranac River, Lake Champlain and other shorelines, to see what the options are for public use.

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The study itself is still very much in the idea and planning stage, but Bassett says it could include more access and parking areas, parks and trails. He said the town is especially focused on connecting walking and bike trails, and developing a regional waterfront trail.

The town would like to work with local and regional efforts already underway. Either way, the town supervisor says the region is ready for this study.

"Many plans that we've done, our master plan, our economic development plan, and even common sense would let us know that in this community we have some just beautiful waterways from the Saranac River, Lake Champlain and many other ponds and lakes, but we haven't taken the kind of advantage we should of them. We haven't developed our waterfronts in a way that has the best interests and best use in mind," said Bassett.

So, he says, the town wants to change that. But before anything can happen, they need enough money to fund this waterfront revitalization study.

Plattsburgh has retained a firm to help apply for a grant from the state's regional economic development board.